Diamond Bosses Fired After Graft Exposé

HARARE – The Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamonds Corporation (ZCDC) board has fired chief executive officer, Morris Mpofu and six other officials at the State run firm, about 36 hours after graft fears emerged.

Mpofu was on Tuesday arrested over allegations of abuse of office, before being released on $2 000 bail on Wednesday.

He was arrested together with his chief finance officer (CFO), who was caged over allegations of diverting the firm’s funds for private business. The ZCDC CFO was also fired yesterday, together with the chief human resources officer, the supply chain manager and the chief security officer, according to a statement released late Thursday.

The diamond miner’s audit and engineering executives were also shown the door, in one of the swiftest responses to graft allegations by a State run firm in Zinbabwe.

“In line with the prevailing operating environment and the need to rebuild public confidence, the ZCDC board has terminated the contracts of …seven executives. Chief operating officer, Robert De Pretto has been appointed acting chief executive officer with immediate effect until further notice,” ZCDC said in the statement

The board said it had immediately embarked on confidence building measures for ZCDC and assured its public that the situation was under control.

“The ZCDC board would like to assure its stakeholders and partners of its continued commitment to strengthen its systems and processes for business continuity and realisation of its vision of becoming a world class diamond producer,” the statement said.